Postal delivery firm Jersey Post has deployed a mobile tracking solution called SmartTask POD to boost its service offering for business partners and customers.
Jersey Post has improved customer choice and increased first time delivery success, all while handling an additional 46,000 parcels a month. The deployment of SmartTask POD has also helped the post to reduce its average unit cost by 54%.
SmartTask POD was initially deployed across 124 delivery routes, serviced by a team of 160 postal workers, to provide added visibility of all parcel deliveries.
This provided consistent tracking events across its network, making it possible to share the whereabouts of a parcel in real-time to customers through a web portal or smartphone application.
SmartTask POD also enabled Jersey Post to provide a greater range of value-added last-mile services, including SecureDrop – enabling a customer to nominate a secure drop-off location for delivery – and parcel locker services, where customers receive an alert and unique access code when items are delivered. As a result, first-time deliveries are up to 96%, contributing to an annual decline in counter collections from Jersey Post’s headquarters of almost 50%.
SmartTask POD has been integrated with sorting equipment at Jersey Post’s Rue des Pres headquarters. The sorter uses barcode and optical character recognition (OCR) reading capabilities to capture data automatically and feed it into the item tracking system to speed up the handing of packets and parcels.
Meanwhile, SmartTask POD enables Jersey Post to manage customs clearance electronically, reducing the process from an average of 5-7 working days to just 2-3.
Tim Brown, CEO, Jersey Post, said, “SmartTask POD is a reliable and robust tracking system that is an integral part of our parcel delivery operation and provides Jersey Post with the capabilities to adopt the latest technological innovations.
“As a highly-effective decision engine, it underpins the successful delivery of parcels across the island and helps improve the overall experience to both residents and our business partners.”
Paul Ridden, CEO of SmartTask, said, “We have worked closely with Jersey Post to help them adapt their operation and leverage technology to ensure improved, more efficient service without escalating overheads for packet and parcel volumes where margins are typically lower.
“SmartTask POD has enabled them to implement an advanced parcel management solution that delivers competitive advantage and generates new revenue streams, while creating cost saving opportunities and automating existing processes.”